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Then there are the likes of Tony Allen, second-year point guard Gabe Pruitt, and rookies Bill Walker and J.R. Giddens.
Tony Allen still has a year left on his contract, but he was a pretty big disappointment when it came to replacing the energy and defense of James Posey. The Celtics may not be looking to deal Tony Allen, but they should be.
Meanwhile, Walker remains an athletic asset at the wing and guard spots despite all those knee troubles in college, and Giddens may get an increased opportunity as the third man behind both the shooting and point guard positions.
But the bottom line is the Celtics can't afford to bring the same team back — not even with a healthy Garnett. Something more than just Garnett was clearly missing.
Basically, the best thing they can do is find a Joe Smith type, a veteran who proves to be the missing piece — as Smith has done in Cleveland. The Celtics thought they had done that with Moore and Marbury, but Moore wasn't playing well in Sacramento and Marbury wasn't playing at all in New York. Both were a risk, and neither was the answer.
The Celtics need to find a proven veteran, someone who won't mind coming off the bench and winning his first championship ring. Despite the skepticism from the outside world, the Celtics still aren't that far off.
Extending an offer to Davis — and perhaps offering an extension to Rondo, who becomes a free agent in 2011 — will be the Celtics' top priority. After that, they'll need to find their next P.J. Brown or Posey.
Putting together a package involving young role players like Tony Allen, Walker, Giddens, and maybe even Powe, may be enough to get the job done.
After all, there's no reason for panic in Beantown. But there does need to be the realization that something clever must be done in order to stay among (and maybe overtake) the East's elite.
Status of the Celtics
Ray Allen - Signed through 2009-10
Tony Allen - Signed through 2009-10
Glen Davis - Restricted free agent if team tenders qualifying offer
Kevin Garnett - Signed through 2011-12
J.R. Giddens - Signed through 2009-10 (then two one-year team options)
Eddie House - Player option through 2009-10
Stephon Marbury - Unrestricted free agent
Mikki Moore - Unrestricted free agent
Kendrick Perkins - Signed through 2010-11
Paul Pierce - Signed through 2010-11
Gabe Pruitt - Team option for 2009-10
Leon Powe - Restricted free agent if team tenders qualifying answer
Rajon Rondo - Signed through 2009-10
Brian Scalabrine - Signed through 2009-10
Bill Walker - Signed through 2009-10
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